A US fighter jet crashed at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in California on Friday (US time). Videos of the devastating incident have been circulating on social media, capturing the shocking aftermath as the aircraft erupted into flames. Huge black plumes of smoke billowed into the sky. Aerial footage, now available online, shows that dark fumes from the wreckage could be spotted from miles away.
US military jet involved in the crash has been identified
In a post-incident statement, Marine Corps Air Station Miramar confirmed that emergency personnel responded to the aircraft mishap on the flight line of the air base at approximately 10 am local time on Friday (US time). Authorities also identified the jet involved in the crash as an F-35B assigned to Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing.
As for the person on board the jet, the wing’s statement affirmed, “The pilot ejected, was transported to a local medical facility in stable condition for evaluation and treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.” They have yet to reveal the individual’s name and other details.
The U.S. Marine Corps says the pilot of an F-35B stealth fighter is expected to live after ejecting from the jet before it crashed in California. The jet went down Friday near the Miramar air base in San Diego pic.twitter.com/HYAc7U0Cvu
— The Associated Press (@AP) July 31, 2026
Audio recorded by LiveATC.net captured the Miramar air traffic control tower telling firefighters: “F-35 short final crash. It appeared that the parachute did deploy … and a pilot ejected.”
A spokesperson for the Marine Corps described the crash as a “Class A mishap,” the most severe category of military incident, as quoted by NBC News. The cause of the crash has yet to be determined.
More about the F-35B jet involved in the California crash
Deemed the “most advanced jet fighter in the world,” the F-35B is a single-seat stealth aircraft that can also land vertically like a helicopter. It has the ability to accelerate to 1,200 mph and use temporary airfields and some military vessels.
Its manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, bills it as “the quarterback of the skies —integrating air, land, sea, space, and cyber operations” on its website.
According to the nonpartisan Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, the F-35B jet (including spare parts and maintenance) costs $135.8 million. Being more than 50 feet long, the jet is operated by the US Marines, the United Kingdom, and the Italian Air Force.